Kirby vs Orchard Core
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Kirby | Orchard Core |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | Proprietary | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | PHP | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,531 | ★ 8,187 |
| First released | 2012 | 2018 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | Sitecore, WordPress |
What are Kirby and Orchard Core?
Kirby
Kirby is a flexible file-based content management system that stores content in plain text files and gives developers full control over markup. It is popular for portfolios and custom-designed websites.
- File-based content storage
- Flexible panel for editors
- No database required
- Developer-friendly templating
Orchard Core
Orchard Core is an open-source, modular, and multi-tenant application framework and CMS built on ASP.NET Core. It enables building content-driven sites and SaaS-style multi-site setups.
- Multi-tenant by design
- Modular architecture
- GraphQL API
- Decoupled and headless modes
Kirby vs Orchard Core: key differences
Kirby is written in PHP, while Orchard Core is built with C#. Licensing differs — Proprietary for Kirby versus BSD-3-Clause for Orchard Core. Kirby is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Orchard Core. Kirby is the more established project (first released 2012), while Orchard Core arrived in 2018. Orchard Core has the considerably larger community, at 8,187 GitHub stars versus 1,531.
Why pick each one
Choose Kirby if…
- Easy backups and version control
- Highly customizable
Watch out for
- Commercial license required for production
- Free only for personal use
Choose Orchard Core if…
- Powerful multi-tenancy
- Modern .NET architecture
Watch out for
- Steep learning curve
- Smaller ecosystem than Umbraco
Frequently asked questions
Is Kirby or Orchard Core better?
Neither is universally better. Orchard Core has the larger community, while Kirby is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Kirby and Orchard Core free and open-source?
Yes. Kirby is licensed under Proprietary and Orchard Core under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kirby and Orchard Core with Docker?
Kirby: yes. Orchard Core: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Kirby or Orchard Core?
Kirby has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Orchard Core. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.